Myth: Most Supermarket Ham is a healthy food item.

Key Info: Most supermarket ham is formed or reformed ham. Reformed ham is made from chopped or emulsified meat, which is not necessarily all muscle meat. It is a manufactured food item and very low grade food.

The Data: The lowest percentage of meat found in processed ham was 55% meat, 37% water, with additives including gums and polyphosphates, sugar and salt making up the remaining 8%. Most supermaket ham sold today, including premium ham is chopped and passed under needles which inject it with a solution of water, sugars, preservatives, flavourings and other additives, or put into a giant machine resembling a cement mixer and mixed with a similar solution. The process dissolves an amino acid called myosin so the meat becomes sticky and when put into moulds, comes out looking like a whole piece of meat. If the ham is to be presented as a traditional cut, a layer of fat is stuck around the edge of the mould to make it look as though it has been cut off the whole leg.

My Thoughts: I hope you didn't read this just prior to a meal. Most processed food is handled similarly to reformed ham, a la Chicken McNuggets. The moral of the story, it is best to avoid processed foods completely or indulge in them only occassionally. Occassionally means only 3 or 4 times per year.


EAT REAL FOOD



The Official Tom Wilson




link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/food/Story/0,,1607326,00.html